Coal City Steamhttps://coalcitysteam.wordpress.com
Just another WordPress.com weblogSat, 31 Jan 2015 21:55:24 +0000enhourly1http://wordpress.com/https://secure.gravatar.com/blavatar/e4e5def59ea14fb956bc7129a1af6405?s=96&d=https%3A%2F%2Fs2.wp.com%2Fi%2Fbuttonw-com.pngCoal City Steamhttps://coalcitysteam.wordpress.com
Looking forward to the weekend at CROSSROADS.https://coalcitysteam.wordpress.com/2013/09/30/looking-forward-to-the-weekend-at-crossroads/
https://coalcitysteam.wordpress.com/2013/09/30/looking-forward-to-the-weekend-at-crossroads/#commentsMon, 30 Sep 2013 14:10:58 +0000http://coalcitysteam.wordpress.com/?p=677]]>Crossroads is coming this week! Check out their interview with me!
I’m really looking forward to this, as Crossroads Writers Conference is one of the BEST conferences I do all year – OH, who am I kidding. It IS the best!
See you there.

]]>https://coalcitysteam.wordpress.com/2013/09/30/looking-forward-to-the-weekend-at-crossroads/feed/0epbushBUZZY!https://coalcitysteam.wordpress.com/2013/09/30/buzzy/
https://coalcitysteam.wordpress.com/2013/09/30/buzzy/#commentsMon, 30 Sep 2013 14:06:21 +0000http://coalcitysteam.wordpress.com/?p=674]]>Up this week, a new video link from an interview with one of my favorite writers — Jean Marie Ward. This is from Spring 2013 – at RavenCon. Enjoy!http://buzzymag.com/emilie-p-bush-interview/]]>https://coalcitysteam.wordpress.com/2013/09/30/buzzy/feed/0epbushWaking up, to ash and dust…https://coalcitysteam.wordpress.com/2013/08/03/waking-up-to-ash-and-dust/
https://coalcitysteam.wordpress.com/2013/08/03/waking-up-to-ash-and-dust/#commentsSat, 03 Aug 2013 23:14:40 +0000http://coalcitysteam.wordpress.com/?p=663]]>FINE! I’ve been a loser. A blog loser – It’s been a while since I’ve been here to say anything to anyone about anything.
Life has been busy, and rough. BUT, the journey of 100 Steps begins with me plunking my butt in a chair writing the blogposts, so here I am.

News….

Appearances: My last appearance was as the top billed Special Guest at Salt City Steamfest. This is an AWESOME little con were great things happened. I like it. I hope to go back next year.

Next is Dragon Con. They sold the * this year so it’s not D*C any more. Whatever. I’m an attending professional which is FINE by me. I have a few panels and a reading and I will commit a future post to where I will be and when. I’ve had an email or two from folks who want to meet up with me and get their books signed, so YEA! I do have a reading scheduled, and I will be going to at LEAST the mechanical masqueade.

Then I have a very full October – Crossroads Writer’s Conference in Macon. PandoraCon in Cincinnati and then Teslacon in Madison Wisconsin. That last one is one of my favorites – always. This year I get to bring Saralyn with me… and I am wicked happy about that.

Books: I worry that Cryptid – my manuscript most recently veted through my editor – is snake bit. It’s GOOD! REALLY GOOD. But somehow folks that ask for it never seem to speak to me again. And most of these folks are people who reject manuscripts for a living. I can take it. Really I can. But you all have been, just, GONE?! It’s a curse I think. Nevertheless, I have started book two, and am in the planning for book three in this series.

I’ve been re-reading Verdu to get rolling on book three. I should be ashamed of myself for how long it is taking me to get this one started.

Coal City Stories books: We will have a coloring book out before TOO long, I have… ideas. Kevin is working on the new STORY book Elly Belle in the City of Steam. We said we would take a year to get this one out, and that would have meant October, but I think it will be December or January before we get there. It’s not a huge deal, we are taking our time, and this is going to be SO wonderful. I’m really pleased with the story, and I have several more stories planned, and I want to have Steamduck’s Wild Orchestra Flight up and ready by May 1, 2014. That one is in the planning stages. I’m very excited about this line. The work is GOOD. The art is GOOD. And the audience is VERY GOOD!

As for me, I need a JOB in the worst way. I was working as an IT recruiter briefly, but that company is suddenly no more. It’s been a rough and often humiliating path finding work. BUT… I keep looking. It’s all I can do until I strike lotto or become an overnight success after 5 years of trying…. *smile* It’s all going to be OKAY. More soon.

]]>https://coalcitysteam.wordpress.com/2012/09/16/duck-and-cover/feed/1epbushThe cover of Steamduck learns to FLY! - available 10/10/2012Funky Friday – Shake a Tail Featherhttps://coalcitysteam.wordpress.com/2012/09/14/funky-friday-shake-a-tail-feather/
https://coalcitysteam.wordpress.com/2012/09/14/funky-friday-shake-a-tail-feather/#commentsFri, 14 Sep 2012 04:04:06 +0000http://coalcitysteam.wordpress.com/?p=650]]>I love this image – Kev’s been making so many doodles of late that mix the organic and the aeronautic. Gears and Props, the Ducky Copter (wait for it – the sneak peek is coming) and all manner of other bits – TOTALLY LOVE IT.

They are funky and very true to Kevin’s love of all things that fly. Me, I like flying, but sometimes – on a funky Friday – you GOTTA DANCE!

Go on! DANCE!

Ok so more Duck hunt picks… Sadly – here is another union of Duck and Machine. I got an imaged mailed to me Mike Baker – who’s truck hit this mallard, I think. He called it duck meets truck. Um, DARK, brother, really DARK. this is a children’s book…. Well, YEAH. I know yesterday’s post showed a roughed up Steamduck…. Fine…. NO REALLY, you’re right. (sigh). Duck Meets Truck:

If you want better pictures – YOU send ‘em! Right… I need a palate cleanser – MORE DANCING! (cue Jon Cryer and the Duckie Dance from Pretty in Pink)

]]>https://coalcitysteam.wordpress.com/2012/09/14/funky-friday-shake-a-tail-feather/feed/0epbushFeather gears and props ColorIMG_20101224_192902Baby – we got duckshttps://coalcitysteam.wordpress.com/2012/09/13/baby-we-got-ducks/
https://coalcitysteam.wordpress.com/2012/09/13/baby-we-got-ducks/#commentsThu, 13 Sep 2012 15:43:19 +0000http://coalcitysteam.wordpress.com/?p=644]]>Baby ducks. AWWW…. baby DUCKS. This is right up there with puppies and kittens in a basket cute.

]]>https://coalcitysteam.wordpress.com/2012/09/13/baby-we-got-ducks/feed/0epbushBaby Duck in the mud. ouchduckyDucks in the Grass! Photo From Pam Bush (no relation)https://coalcitysteam.wordpress.com/2012/09/12/ducks-in-the-grass-photo-from-pam-bush-no-relation/
https://coalcitysteam.wordpress.com/2012/09/12/ducks-in-the-grass-photo-from-pam-bush-no-relation/#commentsWed, 12 Sep 2012 11:48:24 +0000http://coalcitysteam.wordpress.com/?p=634]]>AWKWARD! – Being a Bush is sometimes awkward. Mostly it involves being asked if I’m related to either of those two U.S. Presidents. Yes, I do have an uncle that lives on a ranch in Texas. NOT that guy. No. But I will happily claim kin to Ms. PAM Bush (no relation).

Pam Bush says – “We can all fly, even if we really aren’t engineered for it. A-buzz-buzz.” Pam is a big fan of the BEE – which flies – even when it shouldn’t be able, too.

She sends this ducky catch and release DUCK PHOTO and gives us our THEME of the DAY: Ducks in the Grass. Pam is an engineer (read: smart cookie, this one) and she once won an award with her agency for designing artificial turf, or something really odd like that.

Now, she sent in this picture, and I picked it, and it has nothing to do with those pictures that were taken of us at Dragon*Con in Atlanta this year. Not one bit. (Kicking the dirt aimlessly.)

Isn’t it nice we’re having weather?

Oh, right. Ducks…

So – The story goes with Steamduck like this: Our plucky duck meets a goose, and realized that – like the goose – he really OUGHT to be flying as well as swimming. Steamduck goes back to visit the Otter – the tinker who built him, and asks the old dude to help him fly. With me? So they start dreaming up flying contraptions. All manner of crazy stuff. You’ll see when the book comes out October 10. BUT until then – SNEAK PEEK!

There’s yer trouble…

This brings me to one of my favorite sketches from the new book. Kevin and I joked and laughed about this particular picture:

Emilie: Geez, Kevin. That’s some tool Otter’s got here.

Kevin: (LAUGHING) I know. I think it’s hilarious that he thinks he’s gonna use the giant wrench on that itty bitty duck.

Emilie: I can hear him now, “Fly, dang it! or I’m smackin’ you with the wrench!”

Kevin: It’d launch that sucker. Fer sure.

(AND SCENE!) – Steamduck I promise, won’t be smacked with the wrench. He’s a well engineered duck, and Kevin is ALL ABOUT how that duck works, and doesn’t work. We do laugh about roughing up Steamduck from time to time, but Kev can practically draw that feathered bad boy with his eyes closed at this point. Hundreds of different angels for that duck. As a funny aside – I suggested to Kevin that he draw Steamduck with a Sousaphone (What? Sometimes life necessitates a musical Steampunk waterfowl. Oh, like it never happened to YOU?!). Kevin quickly explained to me that ducks don’t have lips. Good point, brother.

Welcome to September 11th. Today’s Duck du jour pictures will be all about our ducks in uniform. Now, my favorite guy in uniform is St.John Murphy Alexander – who already is a great pal to Steamduck – so of course he’s welcome here…

Let’s start with a classic – the Insignia of the Ruptured Duck:

Insignia of the Marine Bomber Squadron the Ruptured Ducks (VBM 614) Flying the PBJ-1 aircraft through the end of WWII.

OK so what else? Well – this just in: the world traveling Geo-Duck. (not to be confused with the sea delicasy Geoduck)

GeoDuckie and his visitor, the English Duck, having a chat about patriotism with George Mason. – Washington, DC.

This little guy – so cute – is the mascot of George Brett, who is really into geocaching. What is Geocaching? It’s like a GPS guided treasure hunt where once hunts down the Geocach location… just to see what’s there. It’s cool; I’ve done it once or twice. Find out more about geocaching here. Thanks, George, for sharing the collection of Geo Duckie pictures! Awesome!

]]>https://coalcitysteam.wordpress.com/2012/09/11/the-all-american-duck-on-patriot-day/feed/0epbushCapture 7 and steamduckInsignia of the Ruptured DucksCapture geo duckie and george masonSteamduck promo 1One month to LAUNCH – we WANT yer Duckies!https://coalcitysteam.wordpress.com/2012/09/10/one-month-to-launch-we-want-yer-duckies/
https://coalcitysteam.wordpress.com/2012/09/10/one-month-to-launch-we-want-yer-duckies/#commentsMon, 10 Sep 2012 17:27:15 +0000http://coalcitysteam.wordpress.com/?p=616]]>We’re on a duck hunt! Send us pictures of your ducks! CoalCitySteam@gmail.com. We’re sharing pictures of GREAT ducks all around – REALLY want some Red White and Blue duckies for Patriot Day tomorrow.
So what you got?

Here’s our first contribution! From a fan of the Duck Sharron Parker:

Noble steed and draco-duck from Shannon Parker

Click on over to LIKE Steamduck on Facebook, or follow us on Twitter @CoalCitySteam – WHY? because we are going to be giving some stuff away – and we are going to have GREAT duckies up to and through the launch of Steamduck Learns to FLY!

(get funky with me now) WE WANT THE DUCK! GOTTA HAVE THAT DUCK! WE WANT THE DUCK!… (bopping away with a quack and waddle!)

Now – a sneak peak of Steamduck in the NEW BOOK – he’s with his buddy GOOSE.

GOOSE! oh wait…. wrong goose.

Oh, HOLD on… Just an old Navy buddy there…. Take me to Duck or lose me forever….

“Honk!” said a goose as he shook his wings loose, and then it repeated twice more.“Honk Honk?” he inquired with a voice that was tired, “Hey, why don’t you take off and soar?”Ducky made a sad “Quack!” for the choice he did lack. “I’m sorry but I cannot fly.”“That’s quite a shame. Go home and explain to the inventor that you want to try.”

Thanks for joining us! Come back tomorrow for PATRIOT DUCKS!

]]>https://coalcitysteam.wordpress.com/2012/09/10/one-month-to-launch-we-want-yer-duckies/feed/1epbushNoble steed and draco-duckGoose From TOP GUNGoose and SteamduckA month out… THE DUCK WILL FLY!!!!https://coalcitysteam.wordpress.com/2012/09/06/a-month-out-the-duck-will-fly/
https://coalcitysteam.wordpress.com/2012/09/06/a-month-out-the-duck-will-fly/#commentsThu, 06 Sep 2012 14:58:04 +0000http://coalcitysteam.wordpress.com/?p=613]]>Coal City stories is about a month out. The duck will fly October 10th. Until then – we are going to have some fun. Just a little bit of behind the scenes, a few sneak peeks, and some little things that will make the waiting easier for all! Steamduck Learns to FLY! is on the way!]]>https://coalcitysteam.wordpress.com/2012/09/06/a-month-out-the-duck-will-fly/feed/0epbush